Hunters and Unicorns

11. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Ryan Precious

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. Today we are joined by Ryan Precious, VP of Sales at Rockset, the real-time indexing database that enables companies to build data applications at cloud scale. In this interview, Ryan shares his wisdom with us on the subject of interviews, the do’s and the don’ts, and how to nail the recruitment process from beginning to end. “Everything's a test, from your prep email to your follow up to your interactions with your peers - every little part of your entire interview process is absolutely a test.” Giving us inside tips on how to impress hiring managers to not only secure your dream job but also enter a company with momentum, Ryan explains how presenting yourself with a strong interview can actually accelerate your development throughout an organisation before you have even set foot in the door. With preparation, mindset and ICCE as fundamental pillars of his hiring criteria, Ryan advises that past performance is considered a measure of future performance. He encourages candidates not to overlook the importance of their CV as a means to accurately represent their body of work and recommends tackling interviews like sales cycles, viewing the entire process as a microcosm of the role they are applying for. Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Ryan’s interview strategies to real life scenarios and learn preparation tactics, research tips, and best practices for showcasing your “A Player” characteristics to leave a lasting impression on hiring managers and CEOs in the playbook community.

10. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Mike Earnest

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission.  

 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes.  

 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery.  

 

Today we are joined by Mike Earnest, Area Vice President at zero trust cybersecurity leader, Zscaler.  

 

In this episode, Mike talks on his chosen topic of ‘Finding The “Why?”’ and why, in the fastest-growing, fastest-changing and possibly most demanding career sector, he is so passionate about inspiring his reps, teams and entire ecosystem to discover and keep sight of their personal and professional motivations. 

 

“It really helps to renter and refocus on what we're doing and why we doing it and then build a path towards accomplishing those things and doing all the little things right along the way that help you realise that dream.” 

Mike elaborates on the power of purpose and the strategies he uses to help his teams stay on track of their mindset and ultimate goals in order to become more capable of pursuing the things that give them fulfilment. He also strongly believes in the importance of learning from mistakes and celebrating the journey to achieving your “Why?”.  

With advice for both reps and managers on how to operate differently, Mike offers tips and insights around how to implement a goal setting philosophy into every day interactions, using the “Why?” as a point of reference for all actions and decisions to allow for measured progress and definite, tangible achievement. 

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to adapt your mindset and apply Mike’s strategies to real business scenarios – learn tactics and best practices for how to improve communication within your ecosystem and how to use goal setting to motivate and inspire your team to achieve better results.  

9. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Florian Baeuml

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 202020 Mastery Mission. 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Florian Baeuml, VP EMEA South at Zscaler, the market leader in cloud-native network security. 

In episode 9, Florian talks on the key Playbook theme of Coachability and the fundamental importance of developing and inspiring this character trait throughout his career.  

As someone who was reluctant to accept advice in the early days of his career, Florian reflects on the negative consequences of having a “coachability blind spot” and explains how his transition of focus from relationships and emotion to improving business outcomes enabled him to accept guidance from his leaders and align with both personal and professional goals. 

“Why is he spending so much time with me on that? Why is he giving such specific topics and guidance to me? Is it because he wants to bully me? Or is he actually interested in the positive outcome that could be achieved?” When I stepped back and kept my emotions out, I thought, “Maybe it's the second thing.” 

Offering our listeners advice on how to cultivate a coachability mindset, Florian discusses the science behind making new behaviours automatic and highlights the potential in all of us to reach new levels of success through self-reflection and a willingness to learn. 

Sharing key insights and experiences from his own career, Florian shares his thoughts on leadership and explains how to create the right environment for feedback to drive positive outcomes and inspire and motivate your team. 

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Florian’s strategies to real business scenarios and learn tactics, tips, and best practices for changing employee behaviour, overcoming challenging situations and reinforcing coachability from the top down. 

8. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Kirk Giddens

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Kirk Giddens, Vice President, Mid Market Sales North America at TripActions, the fastest-growing travel management platform disrupting the 1.5 trillion corporate travel industry. 

In episode 8, Kirk shares his wisdom with us on the subject of pipeline generation and discusses the challenges associated with this integral part of the sales cycle. 

“Take it seriously, but not too seriously. There will be times where someone on the other end of the phone will really ruin your day. There's an emotional side to it where if you're human, you'll probably feel it, and actually, if you're not feeling it, you're probably not doing enough Pipeline Generation.” 

With a wide variety of experience in sales, Kirk shares his unique prospecting methodology and gives us some inside tips on how to nail your sales pitch and make an instant impact on potential clients. He explains how adopting a bullet-proof mindset, applying research, and taking a fact-based approach can arm you with all the information you require to start a conversation, combat objections, and ask questions that will lead to demos. 

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Kirk’s strategies to real life prospecting scenarios, and learn preparation tactics, research tips, and best practices to prepare for future growth at your company. 

7. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Espen Sjaavik

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. Today we are joined by Espen Sjaavik, Senior Regional Vice President at zero trust cybersecurity leader, Zscaler.

In episode 7, we ask Espen to share more with us on his chosen topic of Sales Champions and the power they have to shape and transform your career.

“If you have a Champion from the beginning, it's like you're driving somewhere, and you have a co-pilot guiding you to where you need to go. It's a top priority. When you create a visible opportunity, you need to make sure that you understand who the Champion should be and then have a plan to build them.”

Without a solid Sales Champion, understanding your client’s pain and accessing the key decision makers becomes much more difficult. Great salespeople know this and actively look for allies within their prospects whom they can nurture to become Champions. However, the question is, how do you find a Champion, and, more importantly, how do you convince them to support you? Offering you unique access to his extraordinary experience and knowledge on this topic, Espen discusses his own strategies for finding and building Champions from the moment a lead turns into a visible opportunity and gives you the tools you need to proactively drive your deals forwards, beat your competitors, and lay foundations for your future career trajectory. Giving an in-depth explanation on how to identify, test and leverage Champions that can guide you through the buying process, Espen shares his multi-dimensional tactics for entering the sales process at various levels and explains the different modes of communication required to access key decision makers within an organisation and build a solid base for your deal. Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Espen’s Champion-building strategies to real life scenarios and learn tips and best practices for identifying and developing Sales Champions that have the power and influence to drive change and help close deals.

6. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Bernd Maehrlein

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Bernd Mahrlein, Vice President Central & Eastern Europe at Lacework, the data-driven security platform for the cloud. 

In episode 6, Bernd shares his wisdom with us on what it really takes to be the ‘first man on the ground’ in a new territory and offers his strategic advice to individuals who are about to take this career defining step for the first time. 

“Things change constantly. You need to realize the things you can change and the things that you cannot. If you cannot change it, simply put a check mark behind it, leave it to the side and make sure it doesn't emotionally get a hold of you in any way and focus on the things you can influence.” 

As an experienced SaaS leader, Bernd knows how to build a unicorn from the ground up and carry the burden of success or failure on his shoulders. With in-depth insight into the reality of a ‘first man on the ground’ role, Bernd discusses how to lead with transparency and shares his tactics for validating new opportunities, managing extreme pressure, and adapting to unforeseen challenges and constantly evolving success measures.  

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Bernd’s strategies to real life business scenarios, and learn preparation tactics, research tips, and practices to best prepare for a ‘first man on the ground’ role.   

 

 

5. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Bart van de Burgt

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Bart Van De Burgt, Regional Vice President, Benelux & Nordics at Zscaler, the leading cloud security company.  

In episode 5, Bart shares his wisdom on how to perfect the discovery stage of the sales process. We discuss best practices and practical tips to ensure the discovery process helps you and your prospective customer realise pain, opportunity and a reason to work together.  

“Transformational deals start with change, but change is hard - people don't want to change. If you want to force a change, you first need to help people understand why change needs to happen. What's wrong with the situation that you're in and why is it broken? What are the negative consequences that arise from where you are today?” 

Everyone in SaaS understands discovery to be the first part of their sales process but in terms of mindset, Bart explains how discovery should continue throughout the entire sales cycle. He provides three fundamental stages and methodologies to help you navigate your sale and align your business outcomes with your customer’s pain points to cultivate better sales conversations and improved win rates.  

“Deals are won and lost in Discovery.”  

Sharing personal experiences and tips on the art of great discovery, Bart teaches us how to slow down the sales cycle, trust in the process and “sell change” in order to build prospect interest, move opportunities forward and open doors to high-level business stakeholders. 

Listen to our story session to discover real life case studies and more on how to apply Bart’s methodologies to everyday business scenarios and learn preparation tactics, research tips, and best practices to prepare for your next discovery meeting. 

 

 

4. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Lauren Ball

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission.   

  

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes.   

  

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery.   

  

Today we are joined by Lauren Ball, VP Commercial Sales at Auditboard, the leading cloud-based platform transforming audit, risk, and compliance management. 

  

In episode 4, we chat with Lauren about how to navigate your career as a female in the technology industry and the importance of finding your “Why?” in order to progress in both your personal and professional life.  

 

“You have to believe in yourself, you have to be authentic and know you because if you don't know you, you're not going to be able to be successful in whatever it is you're trying to accomplish and just like we learned with the playbook, you’ve got to ask, why?” 

 

Describing the playbook as a “guardrail” and “the biggest gift I’ve been given in my career”, Lauren explains how adopting playbook structures and processes transformed her career and enabled her to adapt to ever-evolving customer needs and succeed in a fast-developing technology landscape. She identifies some of the typical challenges that female workers run into in male-dominated industries and offers her advice on how to find your voice, overcome imposter syndrome and stay true to your authentic self, whilst adhering to playbook methodologies.  

Discussing her hands-on, team-oriented management style, Lauren provides guidance to the next generation on the importance of self-belief and how to accelerate your career in technology by understanding your “Why?” and setting attainable goals for the present that directly relate to your future aspirations.  

Sharing key insights and experiences from her own career, Lauren embodies transparency and openly shares her story to help others "find a way".  

 

Listen to our story session to discover more on Lauren’s extraordinary career trajectory, how to apply her strategies to real business scenarios and learn tactics, tips, and best practices for navigating your future career in technology.  

 

3. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Rob Watson

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Rob Watson, VP Sales at Sutter Hill’s next rocket ship, Observe Inc. 

In episode 3, Rob talks about how to set up a framework for win-win buyer and seller relationships and how to navigate the sales process and beyond with this at the forefront of your mind. 

“Technology companies sell by leading with the solutions, but truly transformational deals can only be secured when you find a win for your client and a win for your company.” 

Rob discusses the importance of the discovery process and the need for salespeople to adopt a win-win philosophy so that they can leapfrog beyond a traditional, resistant, or guarded interaction, break down trust barriers and truly connect as business partners. 

In order to move away from transactional selling and create a value-based relationship with customers that continues to evolve and grow, it is vital to find the intersection between the win for your company and the win for your client. It is not enough to simply sell your solution, you need to connect the dots and solve problems by offering measurable, tangible value that your customers can continue to invest in. If you want to make transformational deals happen, you need to listen and use empathy as your fuel for success. 

Sharing key insights and experiences from his own career, Rob explains the science behind the success of his win-win approach and how to use it to yield deeper client relationships, lead successful negotiations and achieve great results in sales. 

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Rob’s strategies to real business scenarios and learn tactics, tips, and best practices for creating win-win situations in your business. 

 

2. Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Keith Butler

Hunters and Unicorns - 202020 Mastery Mission - Keith Butler

 

Welcome to Hunters and Unicorns, 20/20/20 Mastery Mission. 

 

20 topics, 20 guests for 20 minutes. 

 

We're here to unlock tribal wisdom from tech sales legends to help you get one step closer to mastery. 

Today we are joined by Keith Butler, Chief Revenue Officer at Sutter Hill Venture’s next rocket ship enterprise, Observe Inc.  

In episode 2, Keith shares his wisdom with us on the subject of Economic Buyers and why, despite the rise in product-led sales, it is still mission-critical to meet with the ultimate decision maker early on in your sales process. 

“Consider yourself a problem solver versus a flogger of technology. Your job is to help your customer and your champion win and solve problems. If you're going to solve a problem effectively, you’ve got to get to the person that owns the problem. So, if you want to be efficient with your time, if you want to understand where you can win and where you're going to lose, get to the economic buyer as fast as possible.” 

In recent years, there has been a radical shift in the way people use and buy software and there is no doubt that product-led growth is here to stay. However, when it comes to SaaS companies, Keith believes that ignoring more traditional acquisition tactics could lead to disaster. His experience has shown him that to differentiate and get deals over the line, the best sellers in the world are still the ones that connect real business pain to technology and focus on aligning with the Economic Buyer’s criteria through “hard dollar savings”. 

Helping you navigate this pivotal aspect of the sales cycle, Keith uncovers his “4 essential questions” to structure your Economic Buyer meeting around and reveals the strategies used by his sales teams to validate deals, improve efficiency, and increase close rates. 

Listen to our story session to discover more on how to apply Keith’s methodologies to real life scenarios and learn preparation tactics, research tips, and best practices to prepare for your next  Economic Buyer meeting.